Skip to content
DraconiticResearch
Search Sources API
203,234 studies31 sourcesUpdated 13 min ago
Peer-reviewedCC BYFrontiers in nutrition

The role of maternal gut microbiota in prenatal depression and offspring neurodevelopment.

  • Qiushuang Jia1,2
  • Chengqian Diao1,2
  • Shuai Liu1,2
  • Huilin Yang2,3
  • Xia Chen2,3
  • Liemin Ruan1
  • Zhongze Lou1,2,4
4 affiliations
  1. 1Department of Psychosomatic Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Ningbo University, Ningbo, Zhejiang, China.
  2. 2ZhiHe Innovation Hub, Ningbo Key Laboratory of Human Microbiome and Precision Medicine, Zhejiang-Australia Joint Laboratory on Human Microbiome Research, Central Laboratory of the First Affiliated Hospital of Ningbo University, Ningbo, Zhejiang, China.
  3. 3Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Ningbo University, Ningbo, Zhejiang, China.
  4. 4School of Brain Science and Brain Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China.
Read full textPDFDOICite

Abstract

Prenatal depression is a prevalent complication during pregnancy that not only adversely affects maternal mental health and elevates the risk of postpartum depression but also has enduring implications for offspring development. Alterations in the host metabolome and gut microbiome have been linked to the onset and progression of depression; however, the biological mechanisms underlying the association between maternal mood disorders and fetal brain development remain inadequately understood. Recent studies have associated prenatal depression and psychological stress with alterations in the maternal gut microbiota, microbial metabolism, and immune signaling. However, most human evidence remains observational, and it remains unclear whether these microbial alterations precede depressive symptoms, arise as a consequence of depression or psychological stress, or act as intermediate factors within the maternal gut-brain axis. These findings offer novel strategies for the prevention and treatment of threats to maternal-fetal health. This article systematically reviews recent advancements in research concerning the "microbiota-gut-brain" axis in the context of maternal-fetal health. It investigates the roles and mechanisms of gut microbiota through preclinical and clinical studies, assesses the feasibility of potential therapeutic strategies, and suggests directions for future research. The aim is to provide a theoretical foundation for interventions targeting maternal-fetal health in cases of prenatal depression.

Related

  1. Maternal microbiome promotes offspring ovarian reserve via bile acid metabolism
    Han Wang, Yukang Li, Yilin Niu +13
    EMBO ReportsPeer-reviewedCC BYFull textMolecular biology & gene regulationDOAJ
  2. Effects of Prepartum Flaxseed and Hermetia illucens Oil Supplementation on Fatty Acid Profiles Across the Maternal–Placental–Offspring Axis in Prolific Ewes
    Kamila Lewandowska, Natalia Pachura-Hanusek, Piotr Kuropka +2
    International Journal of Molecular SciencesPeer-reviewedCC BY 4.0General biochemistryCrossref
  3. Maternal ranging strategies facilitate offspring social play at energetic cost in the most solitary ape.
    Odd T Jacobson, Alison M Ashbury, Brendan J Barrett +8
    Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of AmericaPeer-reviewedCC BYFull text3 citedMolecular biology & gene regulationEurope PMC
  4. Neuroepigenetic programming by the maternal environment: part A—epigenome-wide DNA methylation profile in the offspring’s olfactory bulb following preconceptional weight loss in mice
    Karine Badonnel, Aurélie Chaulot-Talmon, Valentin Costes +8
    Clinical EpigeneticsPeer-reviewedCC BY-NC-ND 4.0Full textMolecular biology & gene regulationHALEurope PMCDOAJ
  5. Neuroepigenetic programming by the maternal environment. Part B: independent contribution of methylation and hydroxymethylation in the offspring's olfactory bulb following preconceptional weight loss in mice
    Karine Badonnel, Aurélie Chaulot-Talmon, Valentin Costes +8
    Clinical EpigeneticsPeer-reviewedCC BY-NC-ND1 citedMolecular biology & gene regulationHAL

Cite

BibTeXRIS
BibTeX
@article{jia2026role,
  title = {{The role of maternal gut microbiota in prenatal depression and offspring neurodevelopment.}},
  author = {Qiushuang Jia and Chengqian Diao and Shuai Liu and Huilin Yang and Xia Chen and Liemin Ruan and Zhongze Lou},
  journal = {Frontiers in nutrition},
  year = {2026},
  month = oct,
  doi = {10.3389/fnut.2026.1958794},
  url = {https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42909175},
  note = {CC BY},
}
RIS
TY  - JOUR
TI  - The role of maternal gut microbiota in prenatal depression and offspring neurodevelopment.
AU  - Qiushuang Jia
AU  - Chengqian Diao
AU  - Shuai Liu
AU  - Huilin Yang
AU  - Xia Chen
AU  - Liemin Ruan
AU  - Zhongze Lou
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/10/07
JO  - Frontiers in nutrition
DO  - 10.3389/fnut.2026.1958794
UR  - https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42909175
AB  - Prenatal depression is a prevalent complication during pregnancy that not only adversely affects maternal mental health and elevates the risk of postpartum depression but also has enduring implications for offspring development. Alterations in the host metabolome and gut microbiome have been linked to the onset and progression of depression; however, the biological mechanisms underlying the association between maternal mood disorders and fetal brain development remain inadequately understood. Recent studies have associated prenatal depression and psychological stress with alterations in the maternal gut microbiota, microbial metabolism, and immune signaling. However, most human evidence remains observational, and it remains unclear whether these microbial alterations precede depressive symptoms, arise as a consequence of depression or psychological stress, or act as intermediate factors within the maternal gut-brain axis. These findings offer novel strategies for the prevention and treatment of threats to maternal-fetal health. This article systematically reviews recent advancements in research concerning the "microbiota-gut-brain" axis in the context of maternal-fetal health. It investigates the roles and mechanisms of gut microbiota through preclinical and clinical studies, assesses the feasibility of potential therapeutic strategies, and suggests directions for future research. The aim is to provide a theoretical foundation for interventions targeting maternal-fetal health in cases of prenatal depression.
SN  - 2296-861X
ER  -